Sustainable Sales Kick-Off Ideas: How to Plan Your Next Company Event
A new sales year is an opportunity to bring everyone together, celebrate achievements and get the team ready for what comes next.
Whether your company is launching new products, introducing sales targets or welcoming new colleagues, a sales kick off can help everyone start the year with a shared sense of direction.
For the people organising these events, there's a lot to think about. You'll need a venue that works for your team, a programme that keeps everyone engaged and enough time for colleagues to connect.
If employees are travelling from different offices, accommodation and transport arrangements will also be part of the planning.
Sustainability can be considered alongside all these decisions, without taking away from what makes a sales kickoff valuable.
From choosing accessible venues and planning team activities to reviewing catering and measuring carbon emissions, there are plenty of ways to make more informed choices.
In this guide, we're sharing practical sustainable sales kick off ideas to help you organise a memorable company event, along with a sample two-day agenda and advice on measuring your event's carbon footprint.
What Is a Sales Kick Off?
A sales kick off, commonly shortened to SKO, is a company event that brings sales teams together to prepare for a new sales period.
It might take place at the beginning of January, the start of a financial year or ahead of an important product launch. Some businesses organise a one-day sales kick off meeting, while others bring teams together for a multi-day conference with presentations, training, workshops and social activities.
A typical sales kickoff might include:
Reviewing the previous year's achievements and recognising team successes.
Introducing company goals, sales targets and priorities.
Sharing product updates and new sales strategies.
Running training sessions, role-playing exercises and workshops.
Bringing colleagues together through team-building activities.
Giving employees time to share experiences and learn from one another.
When sustainability is included in the planning process, organisers can also consider how the event's location, travel arrangements, catering, materials and suppliers contribute to its environmental footprint.
This is part of a wider approach to event sustainability. For example, ISO 20121:2024 provides an international framework for managing environmental, social and economic considerations across events of different sizes and formats.
8 Sustainable Sales Kick-Off Ideas for Your Next Company Event
A successful sales kick off should leave your team feeling informed, motivated and connected. Including sustainability doesn't mean replacing your favourite activities or removing the social side of the event.
Instead, it means thinking about the resources involved, exploring practical alternatives and gathering information that helps you understand the event's emissions.
Here are eight ideas to consider when planning your next SKO.
1. Choose a Venue That Makes Travel Easier
Before choosing a venue, look at where your sales team is based and how colleagues will reach the event.
For example, a company with teams in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh might compare several potential locations rather than automatically returning to the same venue each year.
A venue close to a railway station could make rail travel more practical for some employees, while a location near several offices might reduce the need for overnight accommodation.
It's worth considering accessibility, available transport connections, meeting facilities and the type of experience you want to create.
You can also ask potential venues about their energy arrangements, waste management and any relevant environmental policies or certifications. These details can help inform your choice, although a certification alone doesn't establish the carbon footprint of your particular event.
If you plan to measure the event's emissions, ask whether the venue can provide electricity or fuel consumption information for the areas and period you're using.
Where event-specific data isn't available, you may need to use an appropriate estimate and record how it was calculated.
2. Make Employee Travel Part of the Planning Conversation
Sales kick-off events often bring together employees who usually work in different offices, regions or countries.
Getting everyone into the same room can be valuable for training, relationship-building and company culture, so the goal isn't necessarily to avoid in-person events. It's to understand the travel involved and consider the options available.
When planning your sales kick off meeting, you could:
Compare venues based on where employees will travel from.
Explore suitable rail and public transport connections.
Arrange shared transport where practical.
Consider regional gatherings or hybrid participation for selected sessions.
Plan the timetable around realistic arrival and departure times.
For example, scheduling the opening session for late morning rather than early morning may make same-day travel possible for some colleagues. Whether this changes overall emissions will depend on the journeys and accommodation arrangements involved.
It's also useful to collect travel information before the event, rather than trying to reconstruct every journey afterwards.
Depending on your calculation method, this might include starting locations, destinations, transport types, journey distances and the number of travellers.
For more guidance, read our article on how to start tracking attendee travel emissions for events.
You can also explore our sustainable event guest travel strategies for further ideas.
3. Make Sales Training Interactive Without Relying on Printed Materials
Training is often one of the most important parts of a sales kickoff.
Rather than filling the agenda with presentations, consider giving employees opportunities to practise new skills and share their own experiences.
Some ideas include:
Product pitch workshops: Small groups prepare and deliver a pitch for a new product or service.
Customer scenario challenges: Teams work through a fictional customer problem and present their proposed solution.
Sales objection role-play: Colleagues practise responding to common customer questions.
Peer learning sessions: Team members share approaches that have worked well in different markets.
Collaborative strategy workshops: Groups develop ideas for reaching the company's sales objectives.
Many of these activities can use shared digital resources, reusable presentation materials or existing meeting equipment.
If you need printed materials, consider the quantities required, whether they can be used again and what they're made from.
The same applies to branded banners, stage graphics and displays. Designing items for more than one event may be worth exploring, particularly if your company hosts regular meetings throughout the year.
Digital materials still involve energy and equipment, so they shouldn't automatically be described as environmentally impact-free. The most suitable format will depend on how the materials are used and the needs of your team.
4. Introduce a Sustainability-Themed Team Challenge
If you're looking for sales kick off ideas that combine teamwork with sustainability, a themed challenge could fit naturally into your programme.
For example, you could organise an upcycled product pitch workshop where small groups develop a fictional product or service concept using existing or reused materials.
Each team could then create a short sales pitch, identify its target audience and present the benefits of its idea.
This gives colleagues an opportunity to practise creativity, communication and persuasion while discussing resource use and product design.
Other possibilities include a sustainability quiz, a local team challenge or a workshop exploring how to communicate environmental claims responsibly.
You could also consider a community activity, such as supporting a local charity or participating in a volunteering project, where appropriate for your team and the organisation involved.
These activities can support team engagement and wider social objectives, but they shouldn't be presented as automatically cancelling out the carbon emissions associated with the event.
If you're considering tree planting or another nature-based activity, distinguish the activity's potential wider benefits from any verified carbon removal or offset claim.
5. Plan Catering Around Your Team and Your Event Schedule
Food is an important part of a sales kick off, particularly when colleagues are spending a full day or several days together.
You might be organising a working lunch, an evening dinner or a more formal awards celebration.
You could explore plant-forward options, seasonal ingredients and different service styles, while ensuring everyone has suitable choices.
It's also useful to ask how your caterer manages food quantities and what happens to any surplus.
If you want to measure catering-related emissions, the information available will influence your approach.
For example, meal types, quantities, ingredient information and the number of people served may all be relevant, depending on the calculation method.
Scope's event platform includes catering data entry options covering different meal types and food categories, as well as options for working with actual information or estimates.
Our guide to event catering emissions explains how food choices and catering data can be considered when measuring an event's footprint.
6. Celebrate Achievements With Thoughtful Awards and Gifts
Recognising the previous year's achievements is often a highlight of a sales kickoff.
Whether you're celebrating individual performance, team milestones or company-wide successes, recognition can be an important part of bringing everyone together.
If you're organising an awards ceremony, consider what your colleagues will genuinely value.
You might choose reusable awards, professional development opportunities, team experiences or carefully selected gifts.
Where physical items are involved, think about their materials, packaging, quantities and whether they're likely to be used or kept.
The same applies to branded merchandise. Rather than ordering items simply because they've always been included, consider whether they add value to the event.
You can still create a memorable celebration while making more considered decisions about the materials and products involved.
7. Explore Regional or Hybrid Sales Kick-Off Formats
A large in-person sales kickoff isn't the only way to bring a team together.
For companies with employees spread across several countries or regions, a combination of local gatherings and shared online sessions may be worth exploring.
For example, you could organise smaller regional meetings for workshops and networking, with a company-wide leadership presentation delivered online.
This could offer flexibility for employees who would otherwise need to travel long distances.
However, hybrid and online events still involve emissions associated with digital services, devices and electricity use. Their overall carbon footprint also depends on the alternative event arrangements being compared.
If you're considering different formats, look at what works best for your team, the purpose of the event and the activities involved.
8. Measure the Carbon Footprint of Your Sales Kick Off
Alongside the activities that make your event enjoyable and productive, consider how you'll understand its greenhouse gas emissions.
A sales kick-off carbon footprint may include emissions associated with:
Employee, guest and supplier travel.
Hotel accommodation.
Venue electricity, gas and temporary power.
Catering and refreshments.
Production equipment, staging and hired materials.
Graphics, signage and printed materials.
Waste generated during the event.
Online and hybrid participation.
The categories you include will depend on your event and the measurement boundary you establish.
For example, a one-day sales meeting at your own office will involve different activities from a three-day SKO at an external venue with accommodation, catering and production suppliers.
Our guide to corporate event emissions explains the types of emissions that can be associated with business events and why sales kickoff carbon tracking is so important.
You can also read how to measure and reduce your event carbon footprint for a broader introduction to the process.
Example: A Two-Day Sustainable Sales Kick-Off Agenda
If you're organising a multi-day sales kick off, sustainability can be considered throughout the programme rather than treated as a separate presentation.
Here's an example of how you could structure a two-day company event.
Time | Activity | Sustainability consideration |
Day 1, morning | Arrivals, welcome and sales performance review | Allow realistic travel times and share digital event information |
Late morning | Product updates and sales strategy sessions | Use existing equipment and reusable training resources |
Afternoon | Small-group sales workshops | Encourage collaboration with minimal additional materials |
Late afternoon | Sustainability-themed team challenge | Explore resource use, communication and creative problem-solving |
Evening | Team dinner and recognition awards | Discuss catering quantities, dietary requirements and award materials |
Day 2, morning | Sales role-play and customer scenario workshops | Use reusable or shared training materials |
Late morning | Regional team planning sessions | Develop practical objectives for the coming sales period |
Early afternoon | Company-wide wrap-up and action planning | Share follow-up materials digitally where appropriate |
Afternoon | Departures | Consider onward transport connections when scheduling the finish |
This is an illustrative agenda rather than a fixed format. You can adapt it to suit your team, event location, budget and business objectives.
If employees are travelling internationally or from distant locations, a different timetable may be more appropriate.
Sustainable Sales Kick-Off Planning Checklist
Once you've chosen your activities and programme, it helps to think about the information you'll need from venues, employees and suppliers.
The following checklist combines practical sales kick off planning with useful carbon measurement considerations.
Planning area | Questions to ask | Useful data |
Venue | Is the location accessible? What energy information is available? | Electricity, gas and other relevant energy use |
Employee travel | How will colleagues reach the event? | Journey distances, transport methods and traveller numbers |
Accommodation | Who needs to stay overnight? | Hotel room nights and locations |
Catering | What food and drink will be served? | Meal types, quantities and attendee numbers |
Production | What equipment, furniture and staging will be used? | Hire or purchase details, quantities and costs |
Graphics and print | What signage and materials are needed? | Material types, quantities, weights or relevant spending |
Waste | What waste streams will the event generate? | Available waste quantities or suitable estimates |
Suppliers | What deliveries, transport and accommodation are involved? | Supplier logistics and travel information |
Hybrid sessions | Will employees participate remotely? | Session duration and participant numbers |
You may already have some of this information in travel bookings, invoices, catering orders and supplier agreements.
Identifying what you'll need during planning can make the information easier to collect and reduce the amount of follow-up required after the event.
For further guidance on working with event suppliers, see our article on tracking Scope 3 supply chain emissions for events.
How Do You Measure the Carbon Footprint of a Sales Kick Off?
If you're exploring sales kickoff carbon tracking for the first time, start by identifying which parts of your event you want to measure.
This could include employee travel, accommodation, catering, venue energy and production materials. Collecting this information during planning can make it easier to calculate and understand your event's carbon footprint afterwards.
The next step is to gather activity data. This could include kilometres travelled, electricity consumed, hotel room nights or quantities of materials used.
Many carbon calculations use an emission factor, which represents the estimated greenhouse gas emissions associated with a particular activity.
A simplified example is:
Activity data × appropriate emission factor = estimated greenhouse gas emissions
Results are commonly expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), allowing different greenhouse gases to be represented using a common unit.
The UK government's 2026 greenhouse gas conversion factors provide factors for calculating emissions associated with relevant UK activities. The appropriate factor depends on the activity, location, reporting period and calculation method.
For a beginner-friendly explanation, read our guide to what emission factors are and how they work.
What If You Don't Have All the Data?
Not every organiser will have detailed information for every part of their event.
You might have complete employee travel bookings but limited information about venue electricity use, or a catering invoice without a full ingredient breakdown.
Where suitable, estimates can help you assess activities for which detailed information isn't available.
It's important to record which figures are estimated, the assumptions used and any limitations in the calculation.
For more information, see our guide to estimating carbon emissions.
How Scope Helps You Track Your Sales Kick-Off Emissions
At Scope Carbon Tracking, we understand that events involve many different activities, suppliers and sources of information.
A sales kick off is a good example. Travel might be booked by your internal team, catering arranged through the venue and production equipment supplied by an external company.
Bringing that information together is an important part of understanding the event's carbon footprint.
For businesses looking into sales kickoff carbon tracking, Scope provides a way to record emissions-related information across different event activities, from staff travel and accommodation to catering, production, energy use and waste management.
Scope's Event Carbon Tracking platform is designed to help organisers record emissions-related information across different parts of an event.
Track Different Areas of Your Event
Scope organises event data into dedicated modules, allowing organisers to work through the activities relevant to their event.
These include:
Energy and water: Record information about electricity, gas, temporary power and water use.
Production and build: Track relevant hired, purchased and bespoke production items.
Graphics and print: Record printed and graphic materials, with material-based and spend-based approaches available.
Catering: Enter food and drink information, with actual-data and estimate options for relevant calculations.
Waste management: Record waste quantities or use available estimation options.
Supplier logistics, travel and accommodation: Capture relevant supplier transport and accommodation information.
Staff travel and accommodation: Record travel and accommodation for event staff.
Guest travel and accommodation: Record attendee travel and accommodation information.
Online and hybrid attendees: Estimate emissions associated with relevant online participation and sessions.
These modules can help organisers separate the different activities involved in an event and build an emissions assessment using the information available.
Work With Your Event Suppliers
Sales kick-off events often involve several suppliers, from venues and caterers to production teams and transport providers.
Scope includes supplier invitation functionality within relevant event modules, allowing organisers to request information from suppliers as part of the data collection process.
This can be useful when the organiser doesn't hold all the necessary information directly.
Use Actual Data or Estimates Where Appropriate
Some event information may be available from invoices, bookings or supplier records, while other activities may need to be estimated.
Scope provides actual-data and estimation options in relevant modules, helping organisers work with different levels of available information.
The resulting figures should still be understood in the context of the data entered, calculation methods and assumptions used.
Review Your Event's Emissions
Scope provides event results and reporting functionality so organisers can review the emissions information recorded for their event.
This helps bring the different event activities together for measurement and reporting.
Measuring emissions doesn't automatically reduce them, but it provides a starting point for understanding the event's footprint and considering future planning decisions.
If you're organising a sales kickoff, explore Scope's Event Carbon Tracking or visit our Event Carbon Calculator to learn more.
Using Your Sales Kick-Off Data to Plan Future Events
Once the sales kick off is over, it's worth reviewing more than the event's presentations and employee feedback.
You can also look at the emissions information collected across travel, accommodation, catering, production and other relevant activities.
This might help you identify which areas contributed most to the measured footprint, where information was incomplete and what could be collected differently next time.
For companies that hold annual sales kick-offs, this can be particularly useful when planning the following year's event.
If you compare emissions between events, remember that changes in attendance, location, duration and calculation methods can affect the results.
An event with more attendees may have a higher total footprint without necessarily being less efficient on a per-attendee basis. Both measures can provide useful context, alongside the event's objectives and other relevant information.
If your business is also tracking emissions across its wider operations, our guide to including corporate events in Scope 3 emissions reporting explains how relevant event activities may fit into organisational greenhouse gas accounting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sustainable Sales Kick-Off Events
What Are Some Sustainable Sales Kick Off Ideas?
Sustainable sales kick off ideas include choosing an accessible venue, exploring suitable travel options, organising interactive workshops with reusable materials, reviewing catering choices and considering the resources involved in awards and team activities.
You can also measure the event's carbon footprint to understand the emissions associated with different activities.
How Do You Plan a Successful Sales Kick Off Meeting?
Start by identifying the event's objectives and what employees should gain from attending. Build a programme around company updates, training, team activities and opportunities to connect.
Then consider venue location, travel, accommodation, catering, suppliers and the information you'll need for carbon measurement.
Can a Sales Kickoff Be Hybrid?
Yes, a sales kickoff can combine in-person meetings with online presentations or workshops.
For example, regional teams might meet locally and join shared company-wide sessions remotely. The most suitable format will depend on the team's needs, event objectives and practical arrangements.
What Is the Difference Between a Sales Kick Off and a Sales Conference?
A sales kick off is generally focused on preparing a sales team for a new period, often through company updates, training and team alignment.
A sales conference may cover a wider range of topics, involve external speakers or include a broader audience. In practice, the terms can overlap depending on the organisation and event format.
How Can You Measure the Carbon Footprint of a Sales Kick Off?
Begin by identifying the activities included in your assessment, such as travel, accommodation, venue energy, catering and production.
Collect relevant activity data and use suitable emission factors or other appropriate methods to estimate greenhouse gas emissions.
Record any estimates and assumptions so the results can be interpreted appropriately.
Plan Your Next Sales Kick Off With Sustainability in Mind
A sales kick off is an opportunity to celebrate your team, share ideas and prepare for the year ahead.
By considering sustainability alongside the programme, venue, travel arrangements, catering and activities, you can make informed planning choices while creating an event that works for your employees.
Collecting carbon data adds another useful perspective, helping you understand the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your event and identify areas to explore in future planning.
If you'd like to learn more about measuring your next company event or sales kickoff carbon tracking, take a look at Scope's Event Carbon Tracking and Event Carbon Calculator.
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